The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee made the Memphis Tigers the No. 2 seed in the West Region Sunday.

The Tigers reacted as if the committee had made them clean up its trash.

"Act excited, everybody go, 'Yea!'" said Memphis coach John Calipari, during the commercial break, after the four No. 1 seeds had been handed out to teams other than his own.

Let the record show: Everybody did not go "Yea!"

They slouched lower in their chairs and their couches. They soaked in the unmistakable insult.

CBS showed the Cal State Northridge team, which Memphis will play Thursday in Kansas City, celebrating its invitation to the big tournament.

"I wouldn't even clap if I were them," said Memphis freshman Wesley Witherspoon.

Because the Tigers are ticked off now. Pay no mind to the we-respect-the-committee's-decision talk that you may hear.

Note the silence, instead. The silence in Calipari's living room when the four No. 1 seeds were unveiled.

"We're not so excited," said Calipari, looking around the room.

Not so excited.

Also, ticked off.

Never mind that UConn -- the Big East team that beat out Memphis for the fourth No. 1 seed -- actually does have a better resume than the Tigers. Never mind that UConn has four more top 50 wins.

The Tigers are No. 2 in the ESPN Coaches poll that was released Sunday and they're a No. 2 seed in the tournament. It's clear evidence of a conspiracy, darn it.

Or at least it will be in the masterful hands of Calipari, who has to be giddy over Sunday's developments.

The man figured out a way to cast Memphis as an underdog in the tournament last year, when the Tigers had three pros and a No. 1 seed.

Imagine what he'll be able to accomplish now that he has material.

And he does have material. He gets more of it every time CBS's Seth Davis or ESPN's Doug Gottleib open their mouths.

"Memphis simply did not have the profile of a No. 1 seed," said Davis.

Them's fighting words!

As for Gottleib, he picked Memphis to lose to Missouri in the Sweet 16. Of course, Gottleib also picked Memphis to lose to UAB the last time they played.

The fact is, underneath the injured feelings, Memphis had another good day Sunday.

The Tigers open with Cal State Northridge, which is just happy to be there.

Then they get the winner of California and Maryland. Neither team has an inside game.

Then they'll likely get Missouri and old friend Mike Anderson, who has experience losing to Memphis from his years at UAB.

Then comes UConn. UConn's a really good team. But imagine the fun that Calipari could have before that particular matchup.

"This is the team the committee thought was better than you. Nobody thinks you can beat this team. I don't know. Maybe they're right. But if you think you should have been a No. 1 seed, you can prove it tonight."